Island



UNITE GEO. W. THOMAS, OF NORTH KINGSTON, RHODE ISLAND.

ROAD-SCRAPER.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 17,003, dated April 7, 1857.

To all whom @'15 may concern.' j

Be it known that I, G. W. TI-rouas, of Wickford, in the county ofWashington and State of Rhode Island, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Road-Scrapers; and I do hereby declare that the followingis a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had tothe accompanying drawing, and to the letters of reference markedthereon, in which- Figure 1, represents a plan of my road scraper; Fig.`2, a front elevation of the same and Fig. 8, a side elevation, with onewheel removed.

The nature of my improvement consists in so arranging adjustable sidescrapers, that when used in connection with a front release scraper,they will give simultaneously with the operation of scraping, a curvedor convex form to the road for the purpose of affording to it a naturaldrainage. j

To enable others skilled in the art to make, construct and use myimproved scrapers, I will proceed to describe its construction andoperation.

'Io the axle (A,) andwhich serves as the main frame of the machine issecured the front scraper (13,) by means of hinged joints (a) upon thefront of this scraper is secured a bar or rod (0,) to which is attacheda hand rod (D) through which the driver is enabled to adjust thescraper, after it has been released for the purpose of depositing thedirt or mud in a rut or gulley or elsewhere, there being a catch orclutch (c) to retain the scraper in its working condition; when muchdirt or mud has accumulated in front of this scraper, it is released, bymeans of the release lever (o), the latter disengaging the clutch fromthe bar (O), which permits the scraper to turn on its hinge and overridethe matter collected. 'Io the axle (A) are also secured two adjustableside scrapers (E) by means of hinged joints (d) these scrapers are setat an angle to the axle so as to throw the dirt inward instead ofoutward, and so hung by the oints as to form or give to the road aninclined surface, that is to say, to throw the dirt inward toward thecenter of the road, so as to raise it higher in the middle than at thesides. The inclination of these sides being regulated by means of levers(K) which raise and lower the scrapers as required; the levers afterthey have been adjusted being retained in that position by means ofratchets (L) secured to the rear side of the axle; the fulcra (e) of thelevers being formed by curved rods or standards secured to the frontside of the axle.

On the upper side of the arms (F) to which the side scrapers areattached, are secured or mounted links having a hole in them into whichis passed the bent end of brace rods in order to steady the scrapers,the front ends of these rods being pivoted on the tongue (Gr) of themachine. To the rear of the axle is attached the frame (M) of a concaveor double conical roller (O) by means of a connecting rod (N) in anysuitable manner.

In operating the scraper it will be perceived that the weight of theearth and rubbish will hold down the side scrapers to their work, whilethe lever (K) will prevent them from scraping deeper than is required bymeans of the rack (L). In the event of an obstacle such as a rockintervening, the scrapers are enabled to override it by means of theirhinged joints. The side scrapers are so arranged as to throw the earthand rubbish inward toward the middle of the road so as to raise ithigher than at the sides for the purpose of giving to it a convex form,thus aif'ording a natural drainage to the road. But should too much dirtaccumulate before the front scrapers then by turning the release lever(o) it will force the clutch (c) back and thus release the bar (O) otthe front scraper and enable it to override the accumulated dirt; thisdone, the driver pulls the rod (D) toward him which brings the scraperagain into position and then locks the clutch (c) over the'bar thusputting it in order to proceed with the work.

When it is desired to increase or diminish the convexity of the road,the side scrapers are adjusted to the required height by means of thelevers (K) and racks (L) vthe road as it is scraped being pressed by theheavy concave or double conical roller (O), thus imparting to it asmooth and lirm finish, which materially increases its capacity to turnthe water.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

The adjustable side Scrapers (E) n comln testimony whereof I hereunltosub-- bination with the front, release Scrapers (B) scribe my name. whenso arranffecl as to throw the dirt nwardly towardbthe center of the roadand GEORGE W' THOMAS 5 n a crowning form for the purpose of giv- Inpresence 0fing a natural drainage to the road, as set ARTHUR C. WATKINS,

orth.- W. F. PAGETT.

